The National Network for Manufacturing Innovation is now Manufacturing USA.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced the rebranding Monday at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago.
"This name embodies our vision for a unified American manufacturing sector -- where the brightest minds and the most innovative companies come together to develop the most cutting-edge technology in the world,” Pritzker said, according to Commerce Department.
The network consists of nine established or public-private institutes dedicated to advancing to advancing the United States' future through manufacturing innovation, education and collaboration. The institutes include America Makes: The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute and the Digital Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute, among others.
Six more institutes are planned by 2017.
The existing institutes are operated by the Departments of Defense and Energy. By the numbers, their membership has grown to more than 1,300 companies, and they have initiated 240 research and development projects, the Commerce Department reported, adding that more than $600 million in federal funding has been matched by over $1.3 billion in non-federal investing.
A new domain name accompanies the rebranding effort. The URL is www.ManufacturingUSA.com.
